In a conventional acoustic percussion instrument, or drum, a drum head is placed over one or more open ends of a shell or body of the instrument. A hoop is located at the periphery of the drum head and attaches to the drum shell, thereby securing the drum head. The drum head and the shell form a resonant cavity which produces the desired percussive sound. The characteristics of the drum head and the shell, including the materials, thicknesses and geometry, determine the characteristics of the sound produced by the drum.
The pitch of the sound produced by the drum may be altered by adjusting the amount of tension placed on the drum head. Referring to FIG. 1, which portrays a conventional acoustic percussion instrument including a device for tuning the pitch thereof, the process of tuning the drum 1 to a desired pitch is often accomplished by using a key 20 to adjust each of a number of tensioning lugs 25 that attach the hoop 15 to the shell by virtue of a plurality of casings 30. The tightening of the tensioning lugs 25 places tension on the drum head 10, thereby changing the pitch. This commonly used method requires that each of the tensioning lugs 25 be adjusted individually and that the pitch of the drum head be checked at each individual location. This process is most effectively accomplished by turning each of the tensioning lugs in an alternating pattern; i.e., turning lugs on opposing sides.
This tuning process is frequently repeated to compensate for wear and tear on the drum head, as well as changes in humidity and temperature. The tuning process can become even more cumbersome where the tuning takes place in an environment where there is significant ambient noise. Thus, tuning a drum head is a time-consuming and arduous task that requires skill and patience. Accordingly, there remains a significant need for an improved device and method for tuning an acoustic percussion instrument.